More than 600 cats are hit by drivers every day, and with the days becoming shorter and darker, the figures are set to rise, warns pet insurance provider Petplan. Petplan says that nearly 250,000 cats were injured in road traffic accidents last year, costing owners about £500 on average in vet fees. Petplan paid out over £1m on car accident claims involving cats. Kittens are most at risk, with half of all cats hit by cars aged between seven months and two years. Simon Wheeler from Petplan is consequently urging cat owners to take out pet insurance: 'Road traffic accidents are a serious threat to cats. The luckier ones that do survive often suffer terrible injuries. Last year, our most expensive claim came in at over £10,000, which illustrates how crucial pet insurance is. It enables pet owners to make life-saving decisions when tragedy strikes.' Visit www.meowch.info or call Petplan on 0800 316 0270 for more information and a free guide to cat care.

Please to remember the thieves of November

Tonight, Bonfire night, is one of the worst of the year for household burglaries, according to Norwich Union. The firm's Jason Harris says: 'Homes are empty, it's pitch black and the noise of rockets, screamers and flares gives burglars the perfect opportunity to break into people's homes. We know of many cases where burglars slip through open doors while people are enjoying private firework displays in their back gardens.' Research reveals that claims for theft rise by at least 25 per cent on Bonfire night, as homeowners leave their properties empty while enjoying firework displays. Harris advises: 'Take time to ensure your home is secure before heading out. Never leave your back door open when holding a firework display in your back garden, and if you're having a fireworks party with neighbours, do a couple of checks of each other's homes during the course of the evening.'

Financial rights without wearing a wedding ring

Unmarried couples will soon be able to make financial claims against each other after a relationship has fallen apart. The 'divorce-style' rights will be included in a reformed family justice bill the government proposes to introduce next year. The reforms will enable unmarried couples who are living together to claim lump sums, a share of property or their partner's pension and maintenance payments if their relationship breaks up.

There is, however, an opt-out clause whereby cohabitees can sign a contract setting out what will happen financially when they split up. Vivien Hardy, divorce law expert at law firm Boodle Hatfield, says: 'It appears that the government may not bar the childless from applying or restricting rights to a fixed term of living. What is particularly interesting is that it appears couples may be able to opt out of the law by signing a legally enforceable cohabitation contract.

'This opt-out is at odds with the lack of enforceability of prenuptial agreements: cohabitees may be able to protect themselves when they split, but not married couples.'

More parents are finding a home out of reach

Nearly a quarter of parents cannot afford their own home, according to research by Alliance and Leicester. The findings reveal that 23 per cent of parents either still rent or live with their own parents because the cost of buying a house is out of their reach.

Alliance and Leicester says the increase in one-parent households as a result of divorce has led to many single parents opting to rent accommodation, rather than to buy. Stephen Leonard, director of mortgages at Alliance and Leicester, says that this trend may change the face of the housing market: 'We are seeing a shift in our society which will affect the housing market over the next 20 years.The decrease in the number of nuclear families as a result of divorce could mean an increase in the number of rented households with children.'

The private rental market is predicted to rise by 39 per cent by 2014, while divorce rates are set to double by 2021.